4-Steps to Mindfulness & Body Awareness
Updated: Feb 16, 2021
CBD is very popular for anxiety as well as physical aches and pains. Interestingly, I have found mindfulness to be an incredibly important part of getting to the root cause of both.
When we worry about the future we create anxiety. When we worry about the past we create depression. Being mindful and present, in the moment, we find calm.
When we find calm, we are better equipped to work on the stress that is hiding in our tissues and manifesting as pain.
Crystal Hitchcock is a certified yoga teacher, coach, mindfulness expert, and owner of Lift Your Lite. She has laid out a practical 4-step process to increase our mindfulness every morning. Thanks, Crystal!
-Heidi Tungesvick, 406 CBD, CEO
Every experience you have leaves an imprint on your body. On your nervous system, in your muscle and tissues, as well as your energetic body. There are many ways to clear some of these if they are unbeneficial including exercise, detoxing, therapy, tapping, and many more. But, the most important first step is being mindful of what your body is telling you. Below I will share 4 steps to body mindfulness.
But first, let's talk about why body awareness is important.
Have you ever thought about the fact our first language upon being born is somatic, of the body?
Infants listen to their body, when their body is uncomfortable they communicate with their caregiver until comfort is found. Listening to our bodies is primal an imperative to good health even as we grow and get older but we tend to disconnect with our bodies as we intellectually grow and evolve.
How do we get so disconnected over time?
We get lost in our mind, we begin to lose touch with what is happening in the inside. Everything becomes a thinking process, not a feeling process. Our body is a beautiful, complex, yet simple sacred space, yet so many find themselves disconnected. Some find resentment and shame in their body, a sense of betrayal. In order us to be balanced being our mind, our body, our heart all need to be a part of the process. I feel it’s safe to say we are all seeking harmony and balance. Balance requires equal use of the whole system.
The body is the first to respond to our experiences. We get scared our muscles tighten. We get excited we feel energized. The sensations within give the signals. In order to reach our fullest potential, we allow for our bodies to be involved. It’s not by chance the yoga industry is booming. It’s not by chance we feel better with exercise. How we treat our bodies is a direct statement to our own self-worth.
Here is a simple morning routine to connect your body and energy.
First and foremost, focus on our breath. Bring all of your attention to the air moving in and out of your body. Anytime a thought arises just begin again with the breath.
In the morning when you wake up, lay in bed for a moment, notice your breath, then notice your body laying comfortably supported my the surface beneath you. Bring all your senses to the experience, notice what you hear, see, feel on your skin. Find three things to be grateful towards.
As you get out of bed notice the bottoms of your feet. Notice the feeling of connecting to the floor below. And if you even want to be adventurous balance a little on each foot.
While in the shower allow for the water to hit your body, as the water hits your body become aware of what part of your body the water is hitting, I can feel the stream of water hit my shoulder, hit my chest, so on and so forth. Bring it all together; breath, body, bottoms of the feet.
As you do this keep a curious mind and just notice. At first, you might not notice much, just like when we first start anything new, but with consistency, your mind and body will be in communication. Welcome to a whole new way of doing life!!! You will be curious, courageous, confident, calm, connected, clear, compassionate, creative!!! You will become your own best leader!
Crystal Hitchcock
Crystal has been working in the mental health field for 18 years. She has a master's of mental health and rehabilitation, working as a licensed therapist for 11 years. She is also a 200-hour yoga alliance trained and level two reiki certified. She carries a passion for establishing a mind, body, soul connection creating a higher level of consciousness among humanity. She also utilized dogs and horses in her therapeutic techniques. Follow Crystal on Facebook and check out the website of Lift Your LITE, Full Potential Coaching and Yoga.
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